Overwatch Sponsorship: The Great eSports Gamble

The release of the first new Blizzard IP in 17 years has made many fans, players, and teams excited for the next surefire esports title in 2016. The early adopters are looking for big payouts with the hopes that Blizzard invests in Overwatch esports the same way they have with their other recent release Heroes of the Storm. While nothing is guaranteed, Overwatch was built with an esports focus in mind. Blizzard recorded 9.7 Million players during open beta testing from May 3 to May 10, and the Overwatch subreddit has already garnered more users than Diablo, Starcraft, and Heroes in a much shorter time span. The future looks bright for Overwatch and its competitive scene, but it may not all be roses for the first organizations to market Overwatch teams.